The Horse, mediator between the netherworld and the Earth

The Horse, mediator between the netherworld and the Earth

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Old Bulgarian songs and legends have preserved the mystic images of winged horses and undaunted heroes, who are so fast that they can outrun even the Sun. The horse speaks, gives advice and can even foresee what will happen to his master. And up to this day on St. Todor's Day Bulgarians observe various customs and rites for the good health and strength of horses. St Todor's Day is marked on the first Saturday of the Long Lent, which this year is March 12. In today´s edition of Folk Studio prepared by our colleague Albena Bezovska you will hear folk stories about supernatural horses and heroes... and more. Stay with us!

The patriarchal Bulgarian has always held animals and inanimate nature in high regard, being grateful to the invisible forces that take care of his mortal life. The Bulgarian folk tradition has rites dedicated to almost all domesticated animals, various useful plants, as well as farm activities. Folk wisdom assigns a special place to the horse, giving him supernatural characteristics and cosmic powers. For instance, the horse is immune to the dark forces which roam the forests and roads at night and hound along rivers or around lakes. If a man rides a horse he is impervious to their attacks. Old legends also have it that diseases are afraid of the strong animal. To the present day the Bulgarian language has preserved the saying “fit as a horse” to refer to a man who is in perfect health.

The horse's important role in the Bulgarians’ lifestyle goes back far in time. The animal was venerated by all of the Bulgarian predecessors. The depictions of the Thracian horseman Heros, the proto-Bulgarian God Tangra, the Slavic deity of war, fertility and abundance Sventevith are all closely tied with the mythical animal. Furthermore, the horse is a supernatural force that can transport man from the netherworld to this world. A lot of stories tell about the heroic feats of strong men who dared to go to the netherworld. There they fought the evil forces only to come back safe and sound to our world. Most often the image of the horse is to be found in tales dedicated to great heroes who have left a mark on Bulgarians' view of life. The heroes’ horses are so fast that they fly. In folk songs, for example, the Bulgarian epic hero King Marko traverses nine mountains at once with his horse Sharkoliya. According to legends, Haiduk Velko, a rebel figure during the Ottoman rule in Bulgaria, could lift a horse by only grasping it by the tail, spin it over his head and hurl the animal at a great distance. Bulgarian folk tales abound in men endowed with supernatural powers who fought in battles together with their true friend, the horse. Sometimes the horse would even save its master from a certain death. Therefore, when a hero had to take an oath, he always swore in his weapon and in his horse.

A most interesting motif regarding the mystical traits of the horse is to be found in the Bulgarian Christmas carols. One of the songs tells about the good hero and the Sun. The young lad boasted that he had a pitch-black horse, who could traverse the world in a single day. On hearing that the Sun contrived a trick to take the horse away from him. “Let's have a bet!”, the Sun suggested. “If you do outstrip me, I will allow you to marry my sister, the Bright Star. However, if I am faster than you are, you will give me your horse”. The lad agreed and they embarked on a round-the-world journey. When it got noontime the Sun said “At this time of the day I take a break for a while” and so they stopped to rest. The lad fell asleep and so the Sun set out immediately on its journey to get ahead of the young man. No sooner had the sun left that the horse spoke to the lad “Wake up, brave man, let's go, for the bright Sun has left you behind!”. So, the hero woke up, mounted his horse and beat the Sun.

The images of the horse and the horseman used to be embroidered on Bulgarian clothes. Women did so in the belief that the horse motifs would protect their nearest and dearest from dangers when they were on long trips.

As we have briefly mentioned in the beginning St Todor's Day, called also Horse Easter, is dedicated to the horse. On this day people, especially those in the villages, organize horse races and prepare ritual bread, part of which is put in the food of domesticated animals. The ritual bread can be several types: “horse” bread, “horse shoe” bread, “doll” bread, etc. The “horse” bread and the “doll” bread are prepared in big quantities and are distributed among the people. Young boys are given “horse” bread and young girls- “doll” bread so that they are “as fit as a horse” throughout the year. The people who are called Todor, Theodor and Todora celebrate their name days on St Todor´s Day.

English version: Vyara Popova

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The Horse, mediator between the netherworld and the Earth

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